If any person or organization did not want to sing Vande Mataram for some reason, “they shall not be compelled or forced to sing it, provided there are valid reasons for not doing so”.
The Madras High Court has ruled on Tuesday that Vande Mataram must be sung once a week in all schools, colleges and universities in Tamil Nadu “in the larger public interest and to instill a sense of patriotism in each and every citizen of the state”. The court suggested that Monday or Friday would be the preferable for this exercise.
The court also directed that Vande Mataram be played and sung at least once a month not only in all government offices and institutions but also in company offices, factories and industries in the private sector.
The order was passed by Justice MV Muralidharan while hearing a petition filed by K Veermani. Veeramani’s plea was that in reply to an examination question, though he had rightly answered that Vande Mataram was originally written in Bengali it was marked wrong because of which he lost out on a government job by one mark.
Veeramani had pleaded for a court verdict on a specific issue and apparently has got much more than what he had prayed for. Without spelling out the reasons for his sweeping judgment, Justice Muralidharan merely cited Article 226 of the Indian Constitution which gives sweeping powers to high court judges within their area of jurisdiction.
The judge added that youth of this country are the future of tomorrow and that the court hopes and trusts that this order shall be taken in the right spirit and also implemented in letter and spirit by the citizenry of this great nation.
The Directorate of Public Education has been directed to circulate the translated version of Vande Mataram in Tamil and English, and circulate the same through government websites and social media.
Justice Muralidharan also made it clear that if any person or organization did not want to sing Vande Mataram for some reason “they shall not be compelled or forced to sing it, provided there are valid reasons for not doing so”.
In the past several Muslim organizations have objected to singing Vande Mataram on the ground that it was contrary to the tenets of Islam.
The Madras High Court order has been welcomed by the BJP but criticized by the Congress and other political parties.